The present invention relates in general to roof ventilators, and more particularly to wind directable ventilators for the roofs of barns, poultry buildings and the like.
It has been generally recognized that there is need for good ventilation in farm buildings, poultry buildings, and the like, including a minimum opening of about 2 inches per 10 feet of building width in the comb or upper regions of the roof of the building. The original was 14 inches because building was 66 feet. It is generally considered that some provision should be made for a free flow of air in the highest portion of a barn. An upwardly sloping roof with a sufficiently large opening allows for the appropriate flow of air, but special arrangements must be provided to provide appropriate weather protection. For example, providing a pair of roof sections sloping converging upwardly from the eaves or building side walls but terminating at different levels, with a laterally falling opening between the roof sections in the uppermost region, with one edge overhanging the other, does not give protection from rain when the wind is driving the rain from the direction in which the opening is facing. Efforts have been made to provide appropriate flow of air by leaving an opening of varying size depending on building width without any cover at the ridge or uppermost portion of the two upwardly converging roof sections, without providing any cover. Although the upward draft of the air flowing through such a ventilating roof arrangement would keep some of the rain out of the barn, such arrangements do not provide the building with adequate rain and snow protection.
An object of the present invention is the provision of a wind directable roof ventilator assembly for barns or the like which provide adequate ventilation, while at the same time protecting the building and its contents from rain. The arrangement is such that the size of the air flow opening may be varied through an appropriate range to meet a wide variety of job requirements.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a wind directed roof ventilator system for barns or the like, wherein a tiltable ventilator hood assembly is positioned in upwardly spaced covering relation to a ventilation opening running along the peak or ridge portion of a pair of upwardly sloping barn roof sections along substantially the length of the barn, together with a wind-direction-responsive vane mechanism which is positioned in response to wind direction and through a linkage system varies the position of the hood structure to minimize entry of rain through the ventilating opening.
Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings showing a preferred embodiment of the invention.